1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panel locking structure for a cargo bed of a vehicle including a cargo bed having an openable and closable gate-type panel and a panel locking mechanism holding the gate-type panel in a closed position in which the gate-type panel is erected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A cargo bed of a vehicle typically includes a bottom plate, right and left side panels, a tail panel, and a front panel. The tail panel and/or the side panels are of the openable and closable gate-type for loading and unloading the vehicle.
The gate-type panel is turnably supported at the end of the bottom plate via a hinge so as to be changeable between a closed position in which the gate-type panel is erected substantially perpendicularly from the bottom plate and an opened position in which the gate-type panel is hung from the bottom plate. To hold the gate-type panel in the closed position, a panel locking mechanism is provided.
JP 3-52291 Y and JP 2-93190 Y disclose conventional panel locking mechanisms for a cargo bed. FIG. 9 shows a conventional example of JP 3-52291 Y. A locking handle 91 is turnably provided on a gate-type panel 90. A U-shaped handle ring 92 is coupled to the locking handle 91. A stationary hook 94 is provided on a stationary panel 93. To prevent rattling of the gate-type panel 90, a plate-shaped retaining member 95 is provided on the gate-type panel 90. The end of the retaining member 95 is pressed by an end 92a of the handle ring 92. The portion of the handle ring 92 other than the end 92a is away from the panels 90 and 93 and the retaining member 95.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show a conventional example of JP 2-93190 Y. In FIG. 10, a latch plate 110 is provided at the front end of a gate-type side panel 101, the latch plate 110 having a groove 110a. The latch plate 110 is pressed onto and locked to the side end of a front panel 102 by a movable hook 106. A latch handle 103 is supported by a bracket 104 of the front panel 102 via a support shaft 105. An adjust mechanism 112 is provided in the supporting portion of the movable hook 106, the adjust mechanism 112 including a spring and an adjust bolt. An L-shaped stationary hook 108 is provided above the bracket 104.
In FIG. 11, an edge 108a of the stationary hook 108 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane. Thereby, the end of the movable hook 106 presses the latch plate 110 to prevent rattling of the side panel 101 during driving.
To prevent rattling of the panel, in the conventional example of JP 3-52291 Y, the retaining member 95 (FIG. 9) for preventing rattling is necessary, and in the conventional example of JP 2-93190 Y, the latch plate 110 and the adjust mechanism 112 (FIGS. 10 and 11) are necessary. That is, in both the conventional examples, special members for preventing rattling are necessary.